Free iPhone 4 Cases Available Now

By marcpertonJuly 23, 2010

Looks like Apple’s Tim Cook meant it when he told shareholders that most programs submitted to the company’s App Store are approved within a week. Just seven days after CEO Steve Jobs promised to put together a program to allow iPhone 4 customers to get a free case, the iPhone 4 Case Program app is now available for download. (Yeah, Apple probably could have come up with a better name for the app, but what do you want for free?)

The app can only be installed on an iPhone 4, and is designed to be used just once; enter some info, order your free case, and close the app. In addition to the company’s own Bumpers, Apple is offering a handful of cases from InCase, Griffin, Speck and Belkin.

If you’ve already bought a Bumper, you can request a refund (customers who bought a Bumper directly from Apple and paid by credit card should get automatic refunds). If you’ve already bought a third-party case, even one of those currently being given away by Apple, you’re apparently on your own for now. As Consumer Reports puts it:

There’s no information on if and how those who have bought a third-party case for their iPhone 4 might ask for a refund. The announced plan does not mention such refunds, but Jobs said at the news conference that those who bought third-party cases can write to Apple to ask for their money back and “we’ll consider the request.”

You have 30 days from your purchase date (or until August 22 if you’ve already bought an iPhone 4) to request a free case, and you need to purchase your iPhone by September 30 to be eligible, though, as CR points out, “Steve Jobs said the company would re-examine the program at that time, and extend it or come up with “a better idea.”

I don’t like it either (the clip makes the phone a lot bigger), but it’s much easier to carry it around that way, especially when I’m doing something outdoors. If it were sitting on my desk all the time, I guess I wouldn’t feel the need.

I’m on hold with Apple now because I downloaded the app, signed in, and it took me to a screen saying “Your iPhone does not qualify for the iPhone 4 Case Program”. The guy said that his supervisor told him since it was the first day, there may be problems and to try again in 24 hours. So I guess I’ll give it a try tomorrow… in the morning or afternoon, so that when I go to the mall to return something to another store, I can stop by the Apple store that’s in the same mall for help if it gives me the same message.

Anyone else find it odd that nothing about the free cases was posted here until now? I guess the consumerist will jump at the chance to mock a company, but when a company actually does something to try to fix a problem they couldn’t care less.

Consumerist has posted numerous articles on companies doing good things for consumers, both specific and in general. Just because Consumerist doesn’t fellate Lord Jobs doesn’t mean they dislike Apple or are specifically looking to pick on them. If you want that, check out suregottold.com.